The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-07-21
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By Study OF the Inter-
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for
July 81. st. Matt, 4:1-11.

indicated abovel
SUBJECT: THE TEMPTATIONS OF CHRIST.
We last studied the account Of our Savior's
baptism. The temptations took place little
after the baptism, which was in the year % A.
ID. Jesus was 80 years old. He had just begun
his ministry.
"Afterward an hungered" He was not
hungry till the expiration Of the 40 days.
Neither were Moses and Elijah, who likewise
went 40 days without food. lex, 2i:15; 4:2S;
Deu., 9: 9; 1925; XII, 81 God sustained
them. We cannot imagine either of these thus
suffering from hunger and kept so long from
any nOurishment. OF course, they would be-
come hungry as soon as God ceased to keep
them without the need of food. We cannot,
however, think they came from fasting weak,
emaciated. They probably ended the fast in
the same physical condition in which they
entered upon it. They therefore differed from
any persons who without order from God have
attempted to go through n 40 days fast. st.
Luke (4:2) shows Christ wholly tasted. All
these cases were miracles and hence not nor
NAL precedents They are not examples, and
are given simply to prove how God can care for
Us in emergencies. a temptation 20 eat during
the 40 days would have had no power TO intiu-
ence Christ, from the fact be was not hungry
during said time. Going without food was to
him then neither deprivation nor virtue;
so the first temptation would have had no force
Win OHTlht turing Lue Az DAYS.
IL IS clear Jesus was tempted dnring all the
40 days, but the three specific temptations emu
merated in the lesson took place after the 40
days had pas ed. Christ was not hungry till
their close, but il was when Jesus was in want
of food that Satan's first temptation was pre-
sented, and the other two succeeded that one.
These are not perhaps all the temptations with
which the Evil One piled Christ after the 40
days and before he Christ ate again. They
are probably mere specimens.
In some measure Christ was doubtless tempt
ed during childhood and youth. 1t is certain
he was tempted after the three temptations Of
our lesson. (St. Luke, Il: Is; %: 29 st. John
II: 80; Heb, 4:15.)
We cannot fix the duration Of the three
temptations; nor can we give the duration of
each; nor do we know the interval OF time be-
tween either. The distances would aid some
what in determining the matter, providing we
understand our Savior literally went from
place to place as stated, aud that he travelled
with usual facilities e. g., probably afOot. After
the first temptation IN the wilderness Christ
and Satan went to Jerusalem, II miles; then
they went to AIt. Quarantania ID miles.
We understand Christ actually suffered from
hunger during all the time of these three
temptations.
At length the Angels came and ministered 10
him. (St. Mark, /: 49, This was after the 40
days and the time required for the three
temptations, during which time it is not likely
the Angels served him at all. The Angels were
repeatedly of use and comfort to Jesus. They
predicted his birth. (St. Matt, 1:20.) They
declared to the shepherds his advent. (St. Lu.,
2:9.) They issued warning in his interest.
(St. Matt, 2 49, They helped him in Gethse-
name. (St. Lu., p 49, They were subject to
his order any time. (St. Matt, 20 53.) They
opened and guarded his tomb. (St. Matt, %:
2, 81
Quite goodly body of divines have held
that the successive temptations were all spirit
ual contests-all on one spot-and that Jesus
did not go from place to place; it was a mental
trial, conducted as by pictures. If this view
were correct, 1t would not affect the fact nor
the effect. One can recall the case of Ezekial
the Prophet. (40:2; 1850
A literal view of the case interests us spe-
cially in the geography and topography of the
scene. The wilderness referred to in v. is
generally supposed TO be that of Judea, between
Jerusalem and Jericho. The northern part of
the wilderness, to w.t. the part north of Mt.
Olives and up to Jericho was called the wilder
ness of Jericho, Jos, 10: - 1t is a wild re-
gion. Porter says il is bleak, mountainous
region" Another traveller states it is so yer
duTeleSs and calcined that it looks like the
embers OF ruined world" Maundrell states,
1t is most miserable, dry, barren place, con-
sisting of high, rocky mountains, so torn and
disordered as if the earth had suffered some
great convulsion in which its very bowels had
infested the locality. (St Mark, 1:13.)
By the "holy city" ". 81 we understand
Jerusalem. The only temple of the Jews was
in this city and hence the whole region WAS
looked on Is holy ground. The pinnacle of the
temple (Y. 81 was probably some high point
connected with the temple; likely, the Kings
portieo or royal gallery overhaHging the preci-
pce at the southeast corner of the temple.
AN exceedingly high mountain" (V. g.
This is known Is Mt. Quarantania. Qulran-
| tania means 40. The mountain is so named in
memory of our Savior's 40 days of temptation
in its vicinity. 1t is about Is miles northeast
from Observation-Disclosures 1900 aud 1000 feet
high-about three miles north of the road from
Jerusalem to Jericho. Farrar says it is " naked
aud arid, like mountain of malediction, rising
precipitously from seorched and desert plain,
and looking toward the sluggish, bituminous
waters OF the Sodomitic Sea-"
IL is declared that Satan showed Christ " all
the Kingdoms Of the world" (V.S.) There
are diverse views as to the extent of region
covered by the word world" Some say Pal
estine, which was all the world to the Jews.
Others say the heather world, which was spe-
cially Satan's. Others believe Satan actually
| showed Christ the entire world. Jesus had
supernatural vision, and could see all about our
round world III a moment Of time. Some have
| judged Christ had the world spread out before
him by Satan as picture or map. If the world
mean Palestine, the =" kingdoms" may mean
Judea, Samaria, Galilee and Perea. ROsenmul-
Ter and Kumoel add Idumea, Auranitis and
| IrachOnitis
Jesus was led up of (by) the Spirit. (V. L.
The Holy Spirit influenced him so powerfully
that he could not foreso entering the wilder
ness unless by positive refusal to yield to the
| pTomptings of the said Spirit. Duty Was so
| plain that no other course was open to him.
| ST. Matt. g.: l6, shows how the Spirit descended
on him az his baptism. And the Holy Spirits
| influence continued with Christ. tSt Lu,
4:14, 1S.l The nature Of this influence is
illustrated in the case OF Simeon. est. Lu
2:27.) In the same way We are TO be led by
| the Spirit tRo., s: ~ There was no visible
| presence Of the Holy Spirit.
| Tempted" ". ~ Temptation by Sataa
70 evil is the reverse OF the Inspiration of the
Holy Spirit to good. The admission we are
susceptible to holy influences, helps unravel the
/ philosophy of malisn impulses. The process
metuphysically and reiigiously is identical.
| The action of Satan in tempting was similar TO
| that of the Holy Spirit in leading 1t is not
| quite settled whether Jesus was tempted dur
| ing the 10 days.
Live by word" (y. A. Gods command